Mental health of cyclone victims must be supported through

THE Australian peak body for psychologists has said mental health services required due to Cyclone Alfred and other natural disasters should have permanent item numbers under Medicare.

The Australian Association of Psychologists (AAPi) has been calling for the specific Medicare item numbers, originally introduced after the Black Summer bushfires in 2020, to be reinstated and to include any large-scale disaster.

It also wants people to be able to self-refer directly to a psychologist.

AAPi Director and Ballina psychologist Daniela McCann was directly impacted by the ex-tropical cyclone and said she anticipated receiving many requests from young people in her community who had been affected.

“There will be young children and adolescents who experienced the previous floods being triggered as a result of this new disaster,” McCann said.

“To be able to give parents and carers the reassurance that Medicare will cover the cost of the mental health services they need would be so helpful to their recovery.”

AAPi Executive Director Tegan Carrison said many people impacted by the cyclone and flooding will likely need mental health support in the coming weeks.

“We know that severe weather events and natural disasters continue to have a long-term impact on the mental health of communities around the country – particularly for communities who have been traumatised by recent severe weather events and had only just started to recover,” Carrison said.

“We cannot keep our heads in the sand and be unprepared when the next, inevitable tragedy strikes.

“We are asking for barriers to psychological support to be removed so that we are fully prepared when disasters occur.

“It would be a mark of care and compassion to make these Medicare item numbers permanent, together with self-referral, which means a client would not have to wait for a GP to be available to request the psychological help they need following a disaster.”

Carrison said that although all levels of government have already stepped in to provide immediate physical or financial assistance after a natural disaster, support for psychological impacts was equally important.

“Early intervention and support are critical in reducing the ongoing impact of these events, and reducing the barrier, cost and stigma of seeking help is vital to providing appropriate mental health support to the communities suffering trauma and loss,” she said.